COSHOCTON - Coshocton Regional Medical Center is dealing with air conditioning issues affecting less than 15 patient rooms on the west end of the fourth floor.

Spokesperson Mary Ellen Given said the hospital is cooled by large air conditioning units on the roof of the building and one stopped working to capacity about 10 days ago. This has caused an older section of the building to be warmer than they would like it to be, especially with higher temperatures experienced this week. No patients or staff have become sick due to the heat, Given said.

She reported on Friday only one patient was still in that portion of the building, because he liked it warmer and requested to stay. Other patients have been moved to rooms with central air and window air conditioners as a backup on the other side of the building.

“Any time there is a situation out of the ordinary, we’re prepared to handle it in the best interest of the patients,” Given said. “This is specifically such a case.”

Staff members have been using fans to circulate air and taking measures like closing doors on unused rooms to keep warmer air from getting out in that section.

“They’re working hard doing patient care everyday and we appreciate their efforts to stay cooler and making sure their patients are taken care of,” Given said of employees. “Our upmost concern is making sure patients are comfortable.”

The malfunctioning unit is about 25 years old and parts are not easy to find, Given said,which is delaying repairs. She said parts were estimated to be in and repairs done on June 11.

A new unit to replace the old one is on order and in process of being built. It should be received and installed sometime around August or September, Given said. This purchase had previously been approved and put in process. She said because of the types of units needed for the building, they have to be built to specification and that takes time.

Cost of the new unit is about $500,000. Another new unit costing approximately $300,000 was received and installed earlier this year. Given said this is part of capital improvements being done by the hospital’s parent company, Prime Healthcare Services.